The İmamkulu Hittite Relief Positioned close to the town of İmamkulu in the Tomarza district of Kayseri Province, Turkey, the İmamkulu Relief is one of the many remarkable rock carvings produced by the ancient Hittite civilization across their vast territory. This intricate relief, measuring 3.25 by 2 meters, is etched into the slightly curved yet flat face of a large natural rock. It is organized into three distinct sections. On the far left, there is a human figure shown moving to the right, likely representing the artist or an important person linked to the carving. The figure holds a spear in the left hand and what appears to be an arrow in the right. Around the waist, a belt with two rounded decorations is visible, along with faint outlines of a sword. The individual is also portrayed wearing a headdress with a cap and has shoes marked by a pointed design. At the center of the İmamkulu Relief, the powerful weather god is portrayed riding in a chariot. He is easily recognized by his horned, pointed crown, a common symbol of divinity in Hittite iconography. He is equipped with a mace and a sword belt, and he is shown guiding a pair of bulls with one hand holding the reins. The face of the human figure on the left is inscribed with Luwian hieroglyphs, which identify him as "Kuwalanamuwa", the son of a king. The central scene of the İmamkulu Rock Relief, located in Tomarza district of Kayseri Province, illustrates the weather god riding his chariot over the bent backs of three mountain gods. He wears a horned pointed headdress symbolizing his divine nature and holds the reins of the bulls as they charge forward. Above his extended hand, three Luwian hieroglyphs label him as the celestial weather god. The mountain gods beneath his chariot are dressed in long robes and peaked hats, and they stand atop fantastic chimaera-like beasts that combine feline heads with human arms raised upward. In the upper right section of the relief, a goddess faces forward with her arms raised, likely representing Sauska/Ishtar. Her head is shown in profile, turned leftward towards the approaching weather god. She holds her robe open with outstretched arms, and atop her head are four or five points of a crown or hairstyle. Wings emerge from her shoulders, while a six-pointed star hovers above her right hand. The goddess stands upon a stylized tree and is depicted without feet, similar to cult statues. Between her and the weather god, a bird is flying to the left. This imagery of a weather god paired with a partially undressed goddess and a bird in between is a motif that can be traced back to early Bronze Age Syrian cylinder seals and various other ancient artworks. If you have any questions or would like more information about the İmamkulu Hittite Relief, please feel free to reach out to us via email at [email protected] or simply message us on WhatsApp. We will respond promptly to your inquiries.